Alcohol saver



April 1931? E. A. ERICKSON 1,801,229

ALCOHOL SAVER Filed Jan. 23; 1950 awuowbo'z .E'n/Q. Erickson 14% WWW Patented Apr. 14, 1931 i.

EMIL A. EBICKSON, OF MILWAUKEE, "WISCONSIN ALCOHOL SAVER Application filed January 23, 1930. Serial No. 422,868.

This invention relates to automobile accessories and more particularly to an attach ment by means of which waste of alcohol poured into a radiator to prevent freezing may be avoided.

During cold weather it is customary to pour alcohol, glycerine and other anti-freezing solutions into a. radiator in order to prevent the water freezing. When the automobile is in operation, the water and anti-freezing solution often become overheated and either boil out of the radiator through the overflow pipe or are converted into steam which passes out through the overflow pipe. This necessitates refilling the radiator and as clear water is usuallypoured into the radiator to refill it the percentage of anti-freezing solution is gradually reduced until finally there is not sufficient solution in the water to prevent freez- Therefore, one object of the invention is .to provide a receptacle connected with the overflow pipe of the radiator so that the water and solution which boil out of the radiator and also steam may be caught and held until sucked back into the radiator by the action of a partial vacuum created in the radiator when the water in the radiator cools.

Another object of the invention is to provide the tank with means whereby it may be secured to a side bar of the automobile chassis and supported beneath the chassis where it will be out of the way.

Another object of the invention is to so form the attaching means for the tank that it may be very easily engaged with the chassis side bar and securely support the tank without danger of the tank accident-ally slipping loose and dropping upon the ground.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of this character which is very simple in its construction and cheap to produce.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein Figure 1 is a view in side elevation showing the improved alcohol saver applied to an automobile, and

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken vertically through the tank of the attachment and illustrating the manner in which the clamps engage the side bar of the automobile chassis.

In Figure 1, there has been shown a fragment of an automobile. This automobile, which is indicated in general by the numeral 1, is of a conventional construction and includes the usual chassis having side bars 2, the upper and lower flanges 3 of which face inwardly, as shown in Figure 2. The radiator 4 is also of a conventional construction 30 and provided with the usual overflow pipe 5 which projects downwardly below the chassis and it is through this pipe that water and steam pass when the radiator becomes overheated. 565

The tank or receptacle 6 of this attachment is formed of metal and this tank is disposed beneath the chassis adjacent one of the side bars 2. The bottom 7 slopes towards the forward end of the tank, as shown in Figure 1, so that fluid which accumulates in this tank may easily flow out of the same through the neck 8. From the top 9 of the tank extends a neck 10 threaded so that a cap 11 may be removably applied thereto and this cap is perforated, as shown at 12, so that air may pass into and out of the tank The neck 8 constitutes a passage through which fluid may pass into and out of the tank and since the cap 12 of the tank 10 is perforated the formation of an air cushion will be prevented and also air may enl er the tank and thereby permit the fluid to easily flow outwardly through the neck 8. From this neck 8 extends a pipe 13 formed of metal and this 585 pipe extends upwardly and is connected with a hose 14. formed of rubber. The hose 14 is secured to the chassis bar by clamps 15 or in any other desired manner and its forward end is fitted upon the lower end of the overflow pipe 5. It will thus be seen that as water and anti-freezing solution boil out of the radiator and flow; downwardly through the pipe 5, they will pass through the pipes '14 and 13 into the tank 6 instead of dripping upon the ground and being wasted. If steam instead ofwater and anti-freezing fluid passes through the pipe 5, this steam will be condensed by contact with the metal pipe 13 and the resultingifiuid will flow through the pipe 13 into the tank. It will thus be seen' ground. When the automobile is not in use,

the water in the radiator cools and as it cools a partial vacuum is formed which creates a suction-through the pipe 5 and pipes 14 and 13. Therefore, the water and anti-freezing solution which have accumulated in the tank 6 will be sucked back through the pipes and into the radiator. This not only prevents -waste of the anti-freezing solution but also prevents danger of the water in the radiator freezing due to gradual reduction of the percentage of anti-freezing solution which would ordinarily be caused by refilling the radiator with wai er.

\Vhenthis attachment is in use, the tank is disposed beneath the chassis of the automobile and is secured to the adjacent chassis bar by clampspindicated in general by the numeral 16. These clamps are of a duplicate construction and each consists of an inner jaw 17 and 'an' outer jaw 18. Tie inner jaw is disposed vertically against a side wall of the tank where it is secured in any desired manner and the outer jaw has its lower end pivotally mounted between cars 19 of the inner jaw by a pin 20. A-threaded stem 21 projects outwardly from the inner jaw intermediate theheight thereof and this gstem passes through an opening formed in the outerjaw and carries a nut 22 which when tightenedforces the outer j aw towards the inner jaw; It should be noted'that the outer jaw is bent in spaced relation to its lower end, as shown in Figure 2, so that its upper portion extends parallel to the inner jaw and has fiat contacting engagement with the outer side face of the chassis bar. The inner jaw projects slightly abovethe top of the tank and the outer j aw is of greater length and projects slightly above the chassis bar.

A pad 23 is secured against the upper end portion of the inner aw of each clamp and tapers outwardly so that it fits snugly between the upper and lower flanges of the chassis bar; Therefore, when the nuts 22 of the clamps are tightened, the pads of the inner jaws willbe forced tightly into place between the upper and lower flanges of the chassis bars and the clamps will very firmly grip the chassis bar. Therefore, the tank will be securely connected with the chassis bar and will be suspended therefrom beneath the chassis where it will be 'outof the way. Instead of employing separate pads one for each clamp, a single strip; of the proper shape end of the overflow pipe 5. During the summer time when only clear water is used in the radiator and the tank is not necessary, the clamps may be released and the pipe 13- disconnected from the rear end of the hose 1 1. The tank may then be put away until again needed.

Having thus described the invention, I claim;

"1. An alcohol saver comprising a tank having a fluid passage, a pipe leading from the fluid passage for connection with the overflow of a radiator, and a clamp to secure said tank to a side bar of an automobile chassis extending vertically of the outer side wall of the tank and adapted to grip thechassis bar and support the tank in depending rela' tion thereto.

2. An alcohol saver comprising a tankhaving a fluid passage, a pipe leading from the fluid passage for connection with the overflow of a radiator, and clamps to s'ecure said tank to a sine bar of an automobile chassis extending vertically of the outer side wall of the tank in spaced relation to each other longitudinally thereof and adapted to the chassis bar and support the tank in depending relation to the chassis bar beneath the chassis.

3. An alcohol saver comprising a tank having a fluid passage, a pipe leading from the fluid passage for connection with the over flow of a radiator, clampsto secure said tank to a side bar of an automobile chassis extending vertically of the outer side wall of the tank in spaced relation toeach other longitudinally thereof and each consisting of an mner jaw, a pad carried by said jaw and projecting outwardly therefrom to engage between upper and lower flanges of the chassis bar, an outer jaw pivoted to the inner jaw and adapted to bear against the outer side face of the chassis bar, a stem extending from the inner jaw outwardly through an opening in the outer jaw, and a nut threaded upon said stem and engaging the outer jaw to face the same towards the inner jaw to causethe chassis bar to be firmly gripped between the jaws. 7

EMIL AERICKSON. s.]

in cross section may be disposed longitudinally of the tank with its end portions secured to the inner jawsof the two clamps. After the tank has been secured to the chassis bar, the hose 14: is connected with the upper end of thepipe 13 and secured to the chassis bar with-its forward end engaged about the lower In testimony whereof I afiix my signature. 

